Chusetts



. NORTHROP..

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30,19I1.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I'jvemCQT' J. NORTHROP.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30. I911.

Patented Sept. 30, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JONAS NORTH ROP, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HOPEDALE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 30, 1917. Serial No. 204,658.

To. all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, JoNAs NoRTHRoP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented 'certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

.The present invention relates to an 1mprovement in automatic feeding mechanisms of the type employed in intermittently advancing at regular intervals a strip of material to the instrumentalities for performing a cycle of operations upon the materlal.

The object of the invention is to produce an automatic feeding mechanism of such construction that a uniform length of material will be fed to the instrumentalities at each cycle of their. operations, regardless of the length of the material to be advanced, and regardless of the rate of speed at which the instrumentalities erform their cycle of operations. A speci c embodiment of the invention for accomplishing this object and such other objects as are incidental thereto is described in the following specification, and the invention itself is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The preferred form in which it is contemplated embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved automatic feeding mechanism showing its application to a press, of which only a portion is shown; Fig. 2 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front sectional elevation of the automatic feeding mechanism; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of the feed roll driving gears.

For the purpose of illustrating the operation of the automatic feeding mechanism of the present invention, it is shown as applied to a press comprising a cooperating punch and die for punching out and cutting off pieces from long strips of material. The particular form of press chosen to illustrate the principle of the invention is used in the making of warp detectors or drop-wires for looms, and the material out of which, the detectors are fashioned is fed to the press as a continuous strip. The automatic feeding mechanism operates in timed relation with the operations of the punch to advance the material while the punch is rising after the completion of one operation and to hold the material stationary while the punch is descending through the material during the next operation.

The press is shown as consisting of a punch 10 secured to a vertically reciprocating head 11, and a cooperating die 12 fastened on a die'holder 13 secured to the frame 14 of the press. These parts may be of any usual or preferred construction.

The improved automatic feeding mechanism comprises two feed rolls, an upper or main feed roll 15 and a lower or auxiliary feed roll 16. These feed rolls, are adapted to engage a stri of material 18 between their oppositely lsposed peripheries and by rotating in opposite directions thereby feed or advance the material into position to be acted upon by the punch and die. The feed rolls are rotated intermittently at regular intervals, andthe main feed roll is rotated once during each feeding or material advancing operation. of material is advanced during each rotation of the main feed roll will, of course, be proportionate to the diameter of the feed roll. Accordingly, by varying the diameter of the main feed roll, the amount of feed and so the length of the finished pieces coming from the press, may be varied as desired. The main feed roll 15 is fixed on a shaft 20 journaled in the upper end of a frame which is indicated generally at 21. This frame 21 projects outwardly from a plate 23 and is shown in section in The distance the strip Fig. 3 as composed of three vertically arwired in the end 29 of the support 27 and threaded into the carriage 26 provides means by which the carriage may be adjusted latorally. An adjustment screw 31 threaded in the lower end of the carriage and taking against the lower end of the plate 23 provides means by which the plate, and therefore theframe 21, may be adjusted vertically. It will be recognized that inasn'iuch as the frame 21 and the plate 23 are carried by the carriage 26 that the lateral adjustment of the latter will be communicated to the frame. This provision for the vertical and lateral adjustment of the frame 21 is for the purpose of lining up the feed rolls 15 and 16 with the punch 10 and die 12. After the punch adjusted relatively to the punch and die. single bolt 32 passed through a wide slot 33 in the plate 23 and the carriage 26-, threads into the support 27 and thereby secures the frame 21 and the carriage 26 in adjusted position. The slot 33 is made wide enough to accommodate the lateral adjustment of the carriage 26.

The shaft 20 is driven by a .mutilated pinion 35 fixed on its outer end. This pinion 35 meshes with a mutilated driving gear 36 pivoted on a stud '37 bolted to the frame 21.- The driving gear 36 is constantly rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, by means of a sprocket wheel 38 in fixed connection with the driving gear. The sprocket wheel 38 is connected with the driving means for the press and consequently the driving gear 36 is rotated in timed relation with the 2 vertical movements of the punch 10. An idler sprocket 39 fulcrumed on a bracket 40 secured to the frame 21,

keeps the chain for driving the sprocket wheel 38 taut, so that there will be uniformity in the feeding movements of the feed rolls. It will be observed by an inspection of Fig. 4, that the driving gear 36 is provided with a blank convex portion or dwell 42, and that the pinion 35 is provided with a correspondingly concave portion or dwell 43. It will be understood from a consideration of this figure that so long as the teeth of the driving gear 36 are in mesh with the teeth of the pinion 35 the rotation of the constantly rotating driving gear is communicated to the pinion and thereby rotates the shaft 20 and the main feed roll 15, but that when the convex dwell 42 of the driving gear is in engagement with ,the concave dwell 43 of the pinion 35, no rotation is communicated to the pinion from the driving gear and that, therefore, the shaft 20' and the main feed roll 15, and consequently the strip of material, remain stationary. The driving gear 36 and the pinion 35 are so arranged with relation to the movements of the punch 10 that while the latter is in and die have been adjusted. relatively to each other, the feed rolls are then the material the dwell 42 is in engagement with the dwell 43 of the pinion 35 so that no rotation will be communicated to the main feed roll 15 and the material be thereby held stationary. But when the punch in its upward movement has left the material, then the teeth of the driving gear 36 again mesh with the teeth of the pinion 35 and communicateto it one complete rotation so as to effect a complete rotation of the main feed roll 15. The rate of rotation of the driving gear 36 is such that, regardless of the rapidity of the operations of the punch, a uniform length of material is advanced into position to be operated upon by the punch at each cycle of operation of the latter.

The auxiliary feed roll- 16 is provided with two flanges 45 adapted to engage the sides of the stri of material so as thereby to correctly position it with respect to the main feed roll. The auxiliary feed roll is driven synchronously with the main feed roll by means of a gear 46 which is fixed on the shaft 47 on which the auxiliaryfeed roll is fixed. The gear 46 is driven by a pinion 48 fixed on the shaft 20 beside the main feed roll. A nut 50 secures the main feed roll and the pinion 48 in place on the shaft 26. The right hand end of the shaft 20, viewing Fig. 3, is journaled in a bracket 51 removably secured to the right hand end of the frame 21 by means of cap screws 52. This provides for the ready removal and replacement of the main feed roll. One end of the auxiliary feed roll shaft 47 is journaled in a block 53 and the other end is journaled in -=;a corresponding block 54. These blocks 53 and 54 are supported respectively by springs 55 and 56, the lower ends of which rest on a cross-piece 58. The springs 55 and 56 are held respectively in operative position by means of vertically disposed rods 60 and 61 secured at their lower ends to the cross-piece 58. The springs 55 and 56 are of such strength that they press the auxiliary feed roll 16 with the.

against the main feed roll 15, so that when,

the two feed rolls are rotated in opposite directions, the strip of material will be positively advanced toward the press. In this connection it may be stated that before the strip of material is engaged by the feed rolls all oil is wiped from it, and that after it has left the feed rolls oil is supplied to it for the punching operation.

The springs 55 and 56 are lifted to press the auxiliary feed roll and the material against the main feed roll by means of a lever 63 fixed on a shaft 64, one end of which is journaled in a block 65, and the other end of which is journaled in a corresponding block 66. These blocks 65 and 66 are supported respectively on set-screws" 67 and 68 means of clamps, as shown in Fig. 2.

threaded into a horizontally disposed web 69 connecting the bottom ends of the two right hand vertical webs 22 of the frame 21. By means of the set-screws 67 and 68, the pressure exerted by the auxiliary feed roll a ainst the main feed roll may be regulated. The lever 63 is provided with a flat cam surface 71. When the press has been started in operation and the strip of material is to be advanced toward the punch and die, the lever 63 is raised into the position shown in Fig. 1, with the fiat cam surface 71 in engagemeiit with the cross-piece 58. The auxiliary feed roll 16 is thereby ra sed and presses the strip of material against the main feed roll. Upon the completion of the punching operation, or if at any time it IS desired-to stop the feed of the materlal to the press without stopping the press, then the lever 63 is turned downwardly so as to present the part 72 to the cross-piece 58. Inasmuch as the part 72 of the lever 63 1s at a less distance from the axis of the shaft 64 than the cam surface 71, the auxiliary feed roll 16 and its supporting parts are permitted toldrop. The strip of material is fed to the feed rolls through a mouth-piece 74, which is secured to a bracket 75 adjustable vertically on the bracket 51. A bolt 76 secures the bracket 75 in adjusted position. A guide piece 77 is secured to the bracket 75 in order to guide the strip of material through the open space 78 of the mouthpiece and under the block 79 secured to the front end of the mouth-piece. As the material leaves the feed rolls it passes through a guideway 81 fixed on the die plate 12 bx hole 82 in the guideway 81 is provlded for the purpose of permitting oil to be fed to the material before it reaches the punch.

The operation of the improved feeding mechanism of the present invention is described as follows :It is assumed that the vertical reciprocatory movements of the punch 10 are constant and uniform, and inasmuch as the gear 36 is driven in timed relation with the vertical movements of the punch 10, the gear 36 is-rotated constantly at a uniform rate. The meshing of the teeth of the driving gear 36 with the teeth of the pinion 35 turns the shaft 20 so as to effect a complete rotation of the main feed roll 15 and the pinion 48. The meshing of the teeth of the pinion 48 with the teeth of the gear 46 turns the latter gear and with it the auxiliary feed roll 16 in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the main feed roll. The vertical movements of the punch 10 and the rotation of the driving gear 36 are so correlated that when the teeth of the driving gear 36 have passed out of mesh with the teeth of the pinion 35 and the dwell 42 of the driving gear is in engagement with the dwell of the pinion 35, the

. strip of material is thereby advanced so as to present a fresh portion thereof to the action of the punch and die.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. An automatic feeding mechanism for intermittently advancing a strip of material a predetermined distance, comprising a. feed roll for engaging the material, a constantly driven gear having a dwell thereon, connections between the gear and the roll includmg a pinion having a dwell corresponding to the dwell on the gear, a second feed roll, and means adapted to be operated by the operator for yieldingly pressing the second roll against the first so that the strip of material to be advanced may be engaged between their opposed peripheries, and for withdrawing the same from engagement therewith to stop movement of the material independent of the rotation of the first feed r0 2. An automatic feeding mechanism for advancing a strip of material a predetermined distance at regular intervals, comprising a feed roll for engaging the material, means for rotating the feed roll including gears having corresponding dwells thereon, one of said gears being constantly driven, and means operated by the operator for pressing the material against and withdrawing the same from the periphery of the feed roll.

3. An automatic feeding mechanism for advancing a strip of material a predetermined distance at regular intervals, comprising a feed roll for engaging the material, a second feed roll, means operated by the operator for pressing the second feed roll and material against and withdrawing the same from the first feed roll, and means a for rotating the feed rolls in opposite direcfor positively rotating the feed roll continuously at predetermined intervals of time, a second feed roll normally held in engagement with the first feed roll, means for positively rotating the second roll when the latter is in its normal position, and means adapted to be operated by the operator to withdraw the second feed roll from rotating enga%ement with the first feed roll and to there y withdraw the material from engage-- ment therewith to step movement of the material while permitting the first feed roll 5 to continue to intermittently rotate;

5. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a continuously operated intermittent feeding roll, a pressure roll positively geared to and rotatedby the feeding roll and means for withdrawing the pressure roll away from 10 the continuously operated. feeding roll to disengage the gears.

' JONAS NORTHROP. 

